The libretto is adapted from the prussian romantic author of fantasy and gothic horror e. Australian conductor sir charles mackerras was universally praised for his telarc recordings of the mozart symphonies and for his brilliant interpretation of tchaikovskys nutcracker. Order from your preferred classical music cd store arkivmusic. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Even if you like any disc you should delete it after listening and buy the original. Direct metal mastering, pressed at optimal in germany. Tchaikovsky sir charles mackerras, london symphony orchestra nutcracker favorite excerpts from the original soundtrack recording. Nutcracker by charles mackerras from amazons classical music store. Tchaikovsky, nutcracker the, charles mackerras, dwtkeninny. Ansermets and mackerrass nutcrackers certainly do that, as do at random jean. Hoffmanns original story was darker than the ballet, but the plot remains largely the same. It has become the most frequently performed ballet in the world.
Mackerras was known for his broad repertoire, expertise in czech music, and use of period performance practices with modern orchestras. Tchaikovsky sir charles mackerras, the london symphony. The nutcracker favorite excerpts from the ballet music. Tchaikovsky the nutcracker pentatone ptc5186091 dm. The story of the nutcracker and the mouse king was transformed into a magical ballet in 1892 and is now a christmas favourite. Tchaikovskys adaptation of the story the nutcracker and the mouse king by e.
Having all of tchaikovskys immortal suite the nutcracker available on a single release is one thing, but this particular reading is something else entirely. Tchaikovsky, pyotr ilyich biography sheet music may 7, 1840, votkinsk. Hoffmann was commissioned by the director of the imperial theatres ivan vsevolozhsky in 1891. The nutcracker is a twoact ballet by pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky. This is a dazzling performance, magnificently played and spectacularly engineered. Notice, the nutcracker, not the nutcracker suite, the suite mostly cobbled from highlights of act 2. The wellknown christmas story has been published in books, including colorful books for children. Charles mackerras, london symphony orchestra tchaikovsky. Behind tchaikovskys the nutcracker colorado springs. In fact, hes never made a bad record, and this nutcracker is outstanding. Mackerras recorded three mahler symphonies and all of the symphonies of mozart, brahms and beethoven. The original production was staged by marius petipa on 18 december 1892, premiering on a doublebill with a now semiforgotten tchaikovsky opera, iolanta.
The classic fairytale ballet the nutcracker, popular the world over and performed at christmas time, revolves around the personal awakening of a young girl over one christmas holiday. It was during tchaikovskys first concert tour to western europe that mahler fleetingly met the russian composer for the first time. Recorded in february 1961, immediately after solti and the concertgebouw recorded mahlers symphony no. Pyotr ilyrich tchaikovsky the nutcracker oehms dm classical. Tchaikovsky had read hoffmanns nutcracker in 1882 with great pleasure, and accepted the commission. London symphony orchestra, sir charles mackerras, cond. Nutcracker original soundtrack recording charles mackerras.
Perhaps the most striking feature of this mahler fourth is its lack of pretension. For me the superbly dramatic sir charles mackerras and the lso are still at the top of the tree telarc 807. In this post, and in plenty of time for the christmas season, tchaikovskys masterpiece, the nutcracker. Bearing in mind mahlers admiration of the russian composer, and the obvious similarities in both structure and emotional content between the two symphonies, i think this claim is not implausible. It also served as the soundtrack to a movie version of the ballet, and mackerrass interpretation has a sense of cinematic spectacle thats. Tchaikovsky the london symphony orchestra, sir charles mackerras nutcracker. Popular romantic composer of 6 symphones and some of the world most performed ballets including swan lake, the nutcracker and sleeping beauty. Hoffmans story the nutcracker and the mouse king and premiered it in 1892. First vinyl reissue of this title in more than 20 years.
Version charles mackerras conducting the philharmonia orchestra. The nutcracker favorite excerpts from the ballet charles mackerras conductor, london symphony orchestra orchestra format. Members of the london contemporary orchestra, tiffin boys choir, terry riley vocals prepared piano, robert ames conductor. The origin of the nutcracker, a classic christmas story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a familys christmas eve celebration. Title page, contents, instrumentation, and overture act i, no. The nutcracker, made in 1975 with the concertgebouw, is a delight, with some terrific orchestral playing especially the winds and springy rhythms.
Tchaikovsky sir charles mackerras conducting london. Mozart, schumann, mahler, ives and so many others had big failures that eventually turned into successes. The best ballet recordings have a way of conjuring up the lighted stage. Tchaikovsky sir charles mackerras, london symphony orchestra tchaikovsky sir charles mackerras, london symphony orchestra nutcracker favorite excerpts from the original soundtrack recording. In march 1892 the suite from the ballet, arranged by tchaikovsky himself, was performed at a concert and proved a great success with the public. Tchaikovskys nutcracker london symphony orchestra songs. Well, this version of the nutcracker was one of my very first, two pristine lps and booklet in a handsome, particoloured box. Its been around in one form or another since it was made and was last sighted on a philips duo. Emi chose similar designs for all the previnlso tchaikovsky ballet boxes, but sadly those have been ditched in favour of generic photographs this. The paraphrase on tchaikovskys flower waltz is a successful piano arrangement from one of the movements from the nutcracker by the pianist and composer percy grainger. Tchaikovsky the london symphony orchestra, sir charles mackerras.
Nutcracker red classics contains all of the main pieces from both of the ballets acts, clocking in at just under an hour and 30 minutes. You can hear every gorgeous nuance of the performance with a tangible sense of closeness, from the lush strings and crisp tambourine on. March from the ballet the nutcracker arrangement for violin and piano. He was long associated with the english national opera and its predecessor and welsh national opera and was the first australian chief conductor of the. A bit like a tchaikovsky toy story, the enchanting narrative is. As expected, the songs are true to the original, and flow effortlessly, giving you an idea of what it might have been like to hear over a hundred years ago. The music of the nutcracker took on a life of its own almost half a year before the ballet was first staged. I have heard it claimed that gustav mahlers ninth symphony was directly inspired by tchaikovskys sixth. Hoffmanns 24 january 1776 25 june 1822 story the nutcracker and the mouse king, by way of alexandre dumas adapted story the nutcracker. The pianist and conductor mikhail pletnev adapted some of the music into a virtuosic concert suite for piano solo. Indeed, friends said he hated it, especially compared to his previous ballet, the sleeping beauty.
As im sure you know, peter tchaikovsky 18401893 adapted his twoact ballet the nutcracker from e. Details about tchaikovsky nutcracker sir charles mackerras london symph cd bmg distributor. Franz joseph haydn, gustav mahler, franz xaver scharwenka, ildebrando pizzetti, ludwig. The nutcracker ost lp peter ilyich tchaikovsky, sir charles mackerras, london symphony orchestra. Sir alan charles maclaurin mackerras ac ch cbe was an australian conductor. Subscribe to our channel and be the first to enjoy classical concerts in hd. Tchaikovsky march from the nutcracker sheet music for.
Later that year, mahler would become director of the royal operahouse in budapest, where his exacting artistic standards and. One of the most beloved and recognizable classical compositions, the nutcracker ballet by tchaikovsky remains a perennial favorite. How tchaikovskys nutcracker became a holiday tradition. How tchaikovskys nutcracker became a holiday tradition renee montagne talks with miles hoffman about the history of tchaikovskys the nutcracker suite. Hoffmann was set to music by tchaikovsky and originally choreographed by marius petipa. Every indication is that the 1892 nutcracker production wasnt very good, but tchaikovskys suite was an enduring success, keeping the idea. Find charles mackerras credit information on allmusic. Both sides of dorati and tchaikovsky are on display in this welcome philips 50 reissue. Find charles mackerras discography, albums and singles on allmusic. It also served as the soundtrack to a movie version of the ballet, and mackerras s interpretation has a sense of cinematic spectacle thats. Im sure we all remember the first lps or cds we ever bought.